Instead of celebrating the holidays last year, OhThePeopleYouMeet’s founder, Michaela, traveled to Cambodia to create a video on “How to be a Responsible Traveler”. The resulting mini-documentary is meant to inspire travelers to ask yourselves the tough questions before you go, do your research, understand your own intention in trying to help, to inspire you to travel and ultimately to make sustainable decisions.

The stark poverty, lack of education, medical services and jobs is staggering. However we met inspiring people and companies working to support the people of this developing nation. The Phare Circus, Shinta Mani Foundation, together1heart and the organizations that Concert vet, are just a few of the groups making a long-term, positive impact in Cambodia. See first hand how clean water, education and job training in agriculture or hotels are helping to empower the local community.

Join Michaela as she digs into the recent political and economic hardships that are still affecting the people of the kingdom of Cambodia. In creating the piece, Michaela had the pleasure to interview the General Manager of the Shinta Mani Resort in Siem Riep, Christian De Boer, and the work they are doing to support the surrounding communities, this is an exclusive extended interview with him.

The part boutique hotel, part resort property is more than just luxury accommodation for international travelers. The company’s philanthropic arm, the Shinta Mani Foundation, plays a much larger role in its community. Christian explains the Shinta Mani’s commitment to its employees and the villages they come from, whether it’s building water wells, schools or farms, or providing the best healthcare in the country to it’s employees. It’s organizations like the Shinta Mani Foundation that are positively impacting the international traveler’s footprint for the local people.

It’s up to each of you, the individual travelers, to do your research and take responsibility for the impact you will have in the destinations that you visit. We hope you walk away inspired to travel to one of the most beautiful countries in the world and empowered to help conquer the root cause.